♪ >>this is a dopey news live from berlin. crimes against humanity. brazil's president -- this is dw news live from berlin. crimes against humanity. bolsonaro says he is guilty of nothing. the night -- tonight, poison, jailed, now, on earth. alexei navalny has been honored the sucker off prize -- the

restaurant posted a sound -- a summit with afghanistan's new rulers. >>welcome. we begin tonight with a pandemic reckoning in brazil. a brazilian committee recommended bringing charges against president bolsonaro for his catastrophic handling of the coronavirus pandemic. the proposed charges include crimes against humanity. after six months of hearings, a senate in re: found bolsonaro's -- a senate inquiry found bolsonaro's government acted too

slowly to fight the coronavirus, exposing the population to mass infection. bolsonaro has rejected the findings as politically motivated and says he is guilty of nothing. the fact remains that brazil has one of the world's worst death tolls from the coronavirus with over 600,000 dead. >>600 handkerchiefs on copacabana beach, one for every 1000 brazilians you lost their lives to covid. to what extent is brazil's high death toll due to mismanagement by the government of bolsonaro? the president opposed lockdowns from the start because of their economic impact. bolsonaro often appears in public without a mask and has been openly skeptical of vaccines, bragging about not being vaccinated. when his health minister fell ill with covid last months, he

was way to push his point. >>he took two doses of vaccine and got infected. he lived wearing a face mask and got infected. >>beyond bolsonaro's direct pandemic measure, the senate probe looked into allegations that he obstructed efforts to protect brazil's indigenous population that has been disproportionately effective -- affected by the pandemic. senators examined other issues that have fueled public anger such as bolsonaro's failure to take action over allegations that federal officials solicited bribes for vaccine. or, the president's promotion of for use by doctors. senate heard testimony about a major hospital chain that pushed off label drugs on the elderly, even though, they had been shown not to work.

as brazil continues to count the cost, observers say it is very unlikely bolsonaro will be brought to trial. his bid for reelection next year is looking increasingly difficult. >>we are joined by our correspondent in rio de janeiro. the optics of this are terrible. what else do we know about the notion of charges being recommended against bolsonaro? >>the notion is a strong one. the published results of this parliamentary commison will have a negative impact on bolsonaro politically. and, the accusation will affect his image and, for the first time during the pandemic, his performance and the failures he did have been recognized officially. i think legally the effect might

be little. it is unlikely and impeachment will happen soon. also, the senators demanded an indictment. still, the attorney general is a close ally of bolsonaro. him and the congress might not initiate an impeachment procedure. >>if he does not have to face the justice system, what about the verdict of the people? i mean, he is to be reelected next year. >>yeah. he is already suffering because of this and because of his pandemic policy and politics he did and the failures he apparently did. only between 20% and 30% still stand behind bolsonaro. most of the brazilians are really more negatively reacting towards him, really thinking he might not be a -- responsible

enough to lead the country. i think he has already suffering and it could continue in the next month. >>what is the situation at the moment with the pandemic in brazil? >>on one hand, the economy did not suffer the same like other economies in neighboring countries here in south america. the numbers have dropped. we don't see the same numbers like in april of this year. so, the country is slowly recovering and the vaccination rate is 50% for all brazilians that took two doses. so, the country is slowly seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. it is slowly recovering from this pandemic which has hit this country hard for more than 1.5 years. >>indeed. the latest from rio de janeiro. thank you. now to some other stories making headlines around the world.

a gunman who killed 17 people in a school shooting in parkland florida in 2018 has pleaded guilty to multiple mortar -- murder charges. relatives watched as nicholas cruz entered his pleas and apologized. jurors will determine whether he should be sentenced to death or life in prison without parole. in the u.s. children between five and 11 will soon be able to get vaccinated against covid. the white house expects the biontech pfizer shot will be authorized for young children in a few weeks. it is readying the rollout. shots will be offered by pediatricians, at local pharmacies, and possibly come in schools. bitcoin has surged to a new record high value above $66,000, almost double it's worth at the beginning of this year. cryptocurrency was helped by tuesday's debut of a bitcoin futures etf or exchange traded fund. believe it or not, on the new

york stock exchange. the jailed russian opposition leader alexei navalny has been awarded this year's sakharov prize for freedom of thought, the eu's top human rights award. the eu called for russia to release navalny and praised his bravery at exposing corruption at a personal cost. >>at the start of the year it caused a sensation in russia. a documentary about vladimir putin's alleged property empire produced by alexei navalny's associates. films and research into political corruption and his support of the free elections and freedom of the press have made navalny famous through the country. navalny is no stranger to controversy for some of his right-wing political views. he was arrested several times before being almost fatally

poisoned with the russian secret service the prime suspect. he was flown to germany where he was treated. he survived. the good news did not last long. upon his return to moscow, he was arrested and sentenced to more than 2.5 years in prison. so navalny's courageous activism has seen him awarded the sakharov prize. >>for many years he has fought for human rights and fundamental freedom in his country. >>the prize is to be awarded on the 15th of december, most likely without navalny in attendance. >>from mst international here in berlin, it is good to have you on the program. last week, alexei navalny did not win the nobel peace prize. a lot of people expected him to win it. people said that would have been a life insurance policy for him as long as vdimir putin is in power in russia. the kharov, prize doesn't have

the same protectiv value, do you think? -- does it have the same protective value, do you think? >>i don't know. definitely, the prize highlights that navalny has not committed any crime and is in prison for peaceful activism and exercising his right to freedom of russian. we hope that the attention brought by the award will increase pressure on russian authorities to weakly put an end to the unlawful detention and also, his imprisonment. hopefully, it will strengthen our call for will his immediate and unconditional release. definitely, we need justice for him and other figures of politically motivate persecution in russia. >> still represents the opposition movent in russia, a movementthat, at the moment s mom -- at the moment, is in

prison with him. what has happened to that moment as navalny has been behind bars? >>there has been a lot of repression. so many othersre experiencing the reprisals of exercising hun rights. the human rights situation has been deteriorating in russia area the space for civil society -- in russia. the space for civil society and social freedoms has been shrank through the st decades and months. ere has been unprecedented growth of repression against civil society actors. only last week, the human rights organization founded by the sakharov prize name and give her has been the target of attacks. many, many, civil society organizatis are labeled foreign agents or called undesirable or even extremists.

we hope the price is understood as a symbol -- the prize is understood as a symbol to stop repression of voices. >>last year the democratic opposition in belarus received the prize. since then, what has happened have -- has not been good. many members of the opposition have been arrested. some have disappeared. could -- are you wored history could repeat itself in russia? >>well, on the peaceful protesters in belarus it was part of their repression strategy government and direct reaction to this award. obviously, we do not know whether the award will have a direct impact on navalny's conditions or in the penal colony where he is serving his sentence, whether he will face reprisals. but obviously. >>you mentioned the penal

colony. what do we know about exei navalny's health and well-being the moment? do we have any infortion aut how well he is doing? >>no. there is few information. we know that after his bk pains, he had been able to contact doctors. he had a set of improvement but we are not aware of all the information we would need to talk about his conditions. >>catharina, from amnesty international in britain, we appreciate your time and insight tonight. thank you. russia today hosted a regional conference on afghanistan, bringing the taliban together with diplomats for neighboring countries, the first -- with diplomats from major -- from neighboring countries. opening the meeting, russian

foreign minister lavrov said there is no alternative to the taliban in afghanistan but held off from officially recognizing the taliban as legitimate leaders. he said at the taliban must guarantee fundamental rights of all afghan residents. during the meeting, russia expressed concern about drugs and terrorism spilling across afghanistan's borders. the taliban deputy prime minister said afghan territory will not be used to launch attacks against any other country. >>if the new government is not recognized and supported, the groups that disrupt the security will naturally be strengthened. the policy of the new government is that we will not allow anyone, or any group, to undermine the security of the afghan people. afghanistan's neighbors and countries in the reason -- region and beyond. >>to put this in context tonight

i am joined by omar samad. he was afghanistan's ambassador to france and canada from 2004 to 2011. he is now with the atlantic council, a think tank in washington, d.c.. it is good to have you on the program. today's meeting in moscow was the first international summit with the taliban at the table as equals. how important were these topics for the taliban? >>for the taliban, it is very important. especially, knowing that a few days after the fall of couple -- kabul, recognized as the formal government of afghanistan by any country around the world. any opportunity, any occasion for the taliban to meet with other stakeholders from other countries and other governments,

especially this time in moscow, a place where they have been received on many occasions in the past is important. because, it gives them a chance to make their case. that they are now in control of afghanistan and are not a threat and will fight any threat in afghanistan. others will also have the occasion to make their case to the talan. as the russians did and a few others in moscow today. >>let me pick up with the russians. the u.s. withdraw from afghanistan was two months ago. russia is now hosting a summit acting like the powerbroker the world wants to see it being. is afghanistan -- is it anything more than a pr opportunity for the kremlin? >>the russians have held this moscow format meeting on seral occasis some cash since 2018

are so. -- since 2018 orc so. -- or so. on other occasions not only the taliban, there were other afghan factions. this time it was just the taliban. even though we hear that experts in karzai and dr. abdullah may have been invited. they decided just to have a conversation with the taliban. there are other venues, as you know, being used on a patient's to meet with the taliban. -- on occasion to meet with the taliban. doha is one of them. the americans met for t days with the taliban and had discussions over agenda issues that both sides wanted to bring out. in other western countries, european countries including germany, have also met with the taliban in doha under the past few weeks. you are seeing the inability of the taliban to turn kabul.

ev though me reasonable -- regional countries have visited kabul. instead, they are using venues outside of afghanistan to interact with the international community. >>pressure today did not offer to recognize the taliban as of afghanistan. it did say it plans to hold the taliban responsible for keeping terrorist out of afghanistan and letting history repeat itself. which is more likely, that the taliban would allow terrorists to come back, or, a country like russia would keep its word and punish afghanistan? >>i think it would be very foolish and risky for the taliban to allow any transnational terrorist group that aims to destabilize the reason -- the region or attack any country in the region or

beyond the region, they have given a pledge as of two years ago to the international community, including the russians, the iranians, and the americans, that they would not allow groups like al qaeda and i.s. k or iss to operate out of afghanistan and be a threat to central asia, the middle east, or south asia. the national community wants to hold them responsible and accountable. at the same time, i don't think that russia, having had a history under the soviet union of military adventurism in afghanistan that lasted 10 years and cost 15,000 soldiers lives. -- i don't think they have any a lesion about wanting to go back to afghanistan at this stage. they are concerned about the vulnerability of what used to be the soviet union, central asia. central asia remains stable. >>aren't you worried the taliban

will see this worry about researching terrorism as a potential leverage for their power? they can use that with countries like russia, even with the united states to get what they want. that is the only real power that have about half. -- the taliban have. >>the taliban have an archenemy in the group isis-k. i.s. k in afghanistan, as you saw in the fast -- past few days there were several attacks that took a lot of lives in northern afghanistan and southern afghanistan. the taliban since 2015 have been fighting i.s. k. both sides have lost a lot of people in this war. that is going to continue, in my opinion. whether the taliban wants to use this as leverage or not, it depends very much on whether

they think that they can get something out of the others. the others -- what is -- that is what they are looking for. the taliban would like access to the money that has been frozen. the international community is using that leverage. i don't think the taliban is losing terrorism as leverage or the fact that afghanistan has some enemy is going to produce much result at the state. knowing that they themselves are on shaky ground. >>former samad, the former afghan ambassador to france and canada, -- omar samad, the former afghan ambassador to france and canada, we appreciate your insights tonight. thank you. afghanistan's economy is unraveling. a looming humanitarian crisis is facing the country. nick connolly reports from the afghan capital.

>>customers are thin on the ground at this couple market. -- kabul market. with the country's banks paralyzed and economic activity at a stand still, this shopkeeper tells us his daily sales stand at two euros. his daily costs amount to 50 euros. >>i am 50 years old and remember all the different governments this country has had. i have never seen the economy as bad as it is now. the taliban do not have anything to eat themselves. you see them buying a bunch of bananas to share and eating just one each. if they are going hungry, how are they going to keep the country fit? >>two months have passed tents the taliban captured kabul and imposed strict limits on ban withdrawals.

reserves are running dangerously low. >>there is no business. everything has just stopped. there was no money. everyone is paralyzed. the international community must see how afghanistan is suffering. i hope these talks bri some kind of positive result, but, who knows. >>the shopkeepers have banded together to negotiate rent reduction. whether they -- that would keep them afloat for much longer, is farc from clear. -- is far from clear. >>the international community needs to recognize this taliban government, otherwise, our money will stay frozen and there will not be any trade. what kind of message are they sending to ordinary afghans? >>for now at least, the international community is preoccupied with the politics of

rather not to recognize -- whether or not you recognize afghanistan's government, but, politics might be overtaken by a humanitarian crisis. >>those are the kinds of things you here in kabul day in and day out. most people here are not following the details of the talks in moscow. they are certainly feeling the impact of afghanistan's frozen bank accounts and an economic crisis that left people struggling to put food on the table. >>for many, economy has overtaken security as their number one concern, something that would have been over -- unthinkable a few months ago. >>many people have heard of the town of bethlehem in the holy land. there is another bethlehem in the united states founded by a group of german missionaries from the moravian church hundreds of years ago.

now they are having -- trying to have the location recognized by unesco for its historical significance. >>this bethlehem was located -- is located in eastern pennsylvania. it came to this remote corner of america in 1741 two mission eyes the native americans. bethlehem became the center of the more avian community. the german deputy mission or international cultural policies is -- for international cultural policies is visiting to deepen her knowledge and support the collaboration. >>what we see over here is a great symbol of the transatlantic relationship, very early. this is a symbol of how it all connected. especially, of course, germany

and the u.s.. >>the moravians believed all people are equal before god, regardless of their origin or gender. and, everyone has the same right to health care and education. they founded the first school in america as early as 704 -- 1742, unusual for the time, they applied the same curriculum for both boys and girls. even in death, everyone was to be equal. the cemetery of the gravestones some allies their views. they are all -- symbolizes their views. they are made of the same material and are identical in size. these ideals are expressed in architecture. it is homogeneous and rather unadorned. the application is also a political signal. on the one hand, because donald trump left unesco in 2017.

on the other hand, because it is a collaboration between denmark great britain, germany, and the u.s.. >>it starts at the local level, connecting, understanding, and, working on that world heritage proposal. it is very convincing, you know, and when we see world heritage over here. culture means cperation, derstanding, and future. >>by 2024 bethlehem hopes to be promoted to the exclusive club of world heritage sites. >>after a short break i will take you through the day tonight. the taliban on tour asking for money and a eve bannoon a collision course with justice.

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anchor: welcome to france 24. -- new about the risks of climate change from the early 1970's but opted to cover it up instead. britain's health minister has restrictions to limit the spread of covid-19. the governments says there is no need for plan b but cases could soon rise to 100,000 per day. brazil's president brushes all a report statingis handling of the pandemic with tantamount to crimes against humanity. ♪